Thailand's consumer confidence in May declined for the first time in six months, due to a bomb blast at a Bangkok hospital, low commodity prices and slow economic recovery, a private survey showed on Thursday.
The index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce slipped to 76.0 last month from 77.0 in April. Last month's bomb blast wounded 24 people, on the third anniversary of a 2014 military coup. Consumer spending is expected to improve in the second half of the year if the government speeds up spending and investment projects, the university said in a statement. The Bank of Thailand has forecast economic growth of 3.4% this year, after 3.2% last year.